Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-02-28
ANNIVERSARY MEETING

| OF the Young Mems Christian Associa-
tion-Remsrks by Visiting Officials.
The anniversary exercises of the Y. M.
c. A. drew several prominent Association
men to this city yesterday. Among them
| were E. w. Watkins, one of the Interna-
tional Secretaries, from New York City,
and Fl. J. Mccoy, General Secretary of the
San Francisco Association. In the morn
ing Mr.. Watkins addressed the congrega-
ton at Westminster Presbyterian Church.
and Mr. Mccoy spoke at the Central III. E.
Church, on Association work. In the az
ternoon both gentlemen addressed the Cos
pei meeting for young men only, at the
rooms of the Association. There was a
good attendance. and much interest mani
tested by the young men: MI. watkins
spoke of the need of a high aim in life,
and Mr.. Mccoy in a similar strain. Both
addresses were eminentiy practical, and if
carried into effect must elevate the young
men who heard them. Two members of
the choir sung a very fine duet. In the
evening the anniversary meeting was held
at the Ninth-street Baptist Church, which
was largely attended. c. NJ. Campbell pre-
sided. The singing was lead by male
quartet and Association orchestra OF six
instruments. After brief Introductory exer-
cises general report of the year work OF
the Sacramento Association was read by
Moore Hesketh, Secretary, and the Treas
urers statement by G. A. Maydwell, fol
lowed by an excellent address from +. w.
Watkins. one of the International Secre-
taries, and Henry J. Mccoy, General Secre-
tary of the San Francisco Association. |
Both gentlemen spoke of the work of the |
various associations, of the effective work |
done during the last few years, and espe- |
cially of the practical and successful work |
which was now being done on the Pacific |
slope. In no country did they consider |
there was greater call for the work than |
in the Golden State. Carefully gathered
statistics had demonstrated that out of
one hundred native sons OF California
only five per cent. ever attended church.
and only one per cent. were identified with |
religious work of any kind. Business men,
especially in the East, literally contributed
to this work. looking upon it from
q business standpoint alone. The business
of the great commercial world must be
transacted largely by an army of young
men; business mems money, and often
reputation, must be trusted to them, hence
the ACCESSIBILITY of raising them to higher,
purer and nobier life. This could only be
done by placing them in a pure and in
tellectual atmosphere and chaste COM
panionship. Twenty-Five years ago the
merchant introduced his employe into his
home and to his friends, but in these days |
of business activity such thing was i'm
possible Intelligent beings were so con-
stituted that they must have company, life
in solitude wa. unbearable. If a young |
man could not have the companionship |
afforded by good society. he was almost |
sure to accept the invitations which beset
him on every side and associate with those |
whose influence, if not injurious at first, |
would slowly and surely bury him in sin
full practice and ruin.
Mr.. Watkins is on the coast in the inter- |
est of the railroad work, and hopes to start |
a railroad branch of the association. In |
many of the Eastern States the railroads |
have made large contributions, for the rea- |
son that they have found it one of their
best investments. as it provides suitable |
places of resort for the men while off duty
and thus better fits them for the positions
they Occupy